Off-peak water heater control



April 15, 1941.

WITNESSES: 5%

E. K. CLARK 2,238,624

OFF-PEAK WATER HEATER CONTROL Filed Jan. 12, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LWZK 67m]:

April 15, 1941. E. K. CLARK OFF-PEAK WATER HEATER CONTROL A Filed Jan. 12, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Zarlfi. 67am? WITNESSES:

p 1941- E. K. CLARK 2,238,624

OFF-PEAK WATER HEATER CONTROL Filed Jan. 12, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES: INVENTOR ww if; 6 1272K 026m:-

%W- BY April 15, 1941. K. CLARK 2,233,624

OFF-PEAK WATER HEATER CONTROL Filed Jan 12, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES: INVENTOR 6'0 Zar/ 1K Clan i.

April 15, 1941. E. K. cLAFax 2,233,524

' OFF-PEAK wmm HEATER CONTROL Filed Jan. 12, 1939 5 Sheets==Sheet s NH-N ESSESI KNVENTOR (9%fiM. zm rcymr.

75 BY AITQRNEY- Patented Apr. 15, 1941 OFF-PEAK warns HEATER coN'raoL Earl K. Clark, Mansfield, Ohio, minor to Weltinghouse Electric 3; Manufacturing Comps East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsy vania Application January 12, 1939, Serial No. 250,559

8 Claims.

My invention relates to control systems for heating devices, and more particularly, to control systems for regulating the off-peak operation of a water heater or the like.

An object of my invention is to provide a practical, rugged, efllcient, inexpensive, off-peak water heater controlling device which will connect the water heater to'a suitable power supply at just the proper time, whereby the water thereof will reach the desired temperature at the end of a predetermined ofl-peak period.

A further object of my invention is to provide an ofl-peak water heater controlling device which will connect the water heater to the power supply in accordance with the water heater heat- -ing requirements, so that the heating thereof will take place during the last hours of the 011' peak period instead of during the first hours of such pointed out specifically in the course of the following description of a device embodying my invention, or will be apparent from such descrip- .tion.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an off-peak water heater controlling device embodying my invention incorporated with a wate heater tank;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the off-peak .;water heater controlling device embodying my invention with portions thereof broken away;

i Fig. 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of a pcrtion of the oil-peak water heater controlling device shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of. the complete water heater controlling device shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of portions of the offr-peak water heater controlling device shown in their respective positions;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the controlling device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a graph showing the relation of the hours in advance of cutoi! to average tank temperature in degrees Fahrenheit for a plurality of adjustable rates of heating and at a factory of the oil-peak controlling ings of portions of the controlling device embodying my invention;

Fig. 10 is a schematic drawing similar to Fig. 8 illustrating the use of two cams;

Fig. 11 is a schematic drawing showing a portion of the structure of Fig. 9 in conjunction with additional cooperating contact members to provide a certain safety feature;

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram similar to Fig. 3; and

Fig. 13 is a plan view of an involute cam used in the device embodying my invention.

Referring I to the accompanying drawings, I show an oiI-peak water heater controlling device l0 including a suitable supporting structure I2 therefor, a time-of-day or clock mechanism H, a suitable relay IS, an adjustable-rate thermostat IS, an elapsed-time device operatively associated with the time-of-day mechanism It, and a plurality of contacts 22, 24 and- 28 which are operatively associated with the adjustable-rate thermostat l8, elapsed-time device 20 and a power supply 28, respectively. The power supply 28 through contacts 22, 24 and 28 operates the relay II, which in turn connects the heater I in temperature of the water in the tank 32. This rotation is clockwise with an increase in water temperature in direct relation to the rate of heating of the water'and counter-clockwise with a decrease in water temperature. .The arm of the elapsed-time device 20 likewise rotates, in this instance, clockwise with the passage of time. However, arm ll rotates in direct relation to the assage of time in response to the movements of cam '82 which is operatively associated with and responsive to the movements 'of the time-of-day mechanism l4. When arms 2 and 80 arrive at substantially the same plane, the contacts 22 and 24, respectively; become engaged and the heater II will 'be connected to the power supply.

This cooperative engagement of contacts 22 and 2 will occur Just soon enough to establish the desired maximum water temperature at the end of the ofi-peak period. With the speed of rotation of the thermostat arm 82 set to correspond bellows to its particulartanks heating ratein degrees per hour, the arm will rotate substantially in unison with the time arm til. The relay it, being of the self-holding type, and actuated by means of the engagement of contacts 22 and-2d will then remain engaged with the passage of time during the heating portion of the ofi-peak period. The heating portion may include the entire off-peak period, or any smaller amount.

The time arm til will continue its progressive rotation until cam 82 arrives at the end of the off-peak period. The cam 82 will then cause the arm 80 to drop, ensuring disengagement of the contacts 22 and 2t and engagement of contacts 24 and 25. The water heater will then be disconnected from the power supply at the end of the off-peak. period with the water temperature at its predetermined maximum value.

More specifically, the time-of-day or clockllke driving mechanism it shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, includes, in this instance, a suitable constant-speed motor till operatively associated with a plurality of gears 32 which, in turn, connect the motor ill to a driving shaft it. It is to be understood that any suitable driving mechanism may be used as the time-oi-day or clock-like driving mechanism i i providing such device supplies a substantial constant-speed driving force to the control device. However, it is preferred that such mechanism be electrically operated and be loosely connected to the main heater control mechanism by means of a suitable flexible coupling 46. In this instance, the coupling includes a flanged sleeve 16a rigidly attached to the driving shaft 36 and a driven flange dob rigidly attached to a driven shaft 18.

The power relay it operatively associated with the water heater controlling device, as hereinafter described, may be of any type desired. However, it is preferred that the relay be oi such size that it will adequately handle the power needed for any desired type oi water heater which has a capacity of say, substantially sir:

v kilowatts.

The adjustable-rate thermostat 08 includes a tank-average temperature-responsive device l9, an adjusting lever a lower intermediate lever 58, a link Gil and the main thermostat arm The temperature-responsive device is comprises an actuating bulb 5d, a capillary tube 52, and a The actuating bulb is, in this instance, substantially as long as the height of the tank 32, whereby the fluid within the bulb 663 will expand in proportion to the average temperature of the water within the tank. and contraction of the fluid within bulb is transmitted to the bellows 5G by means or the capillary tube 62. With the bellows 5G respon= sive to the average temperature or the tanir. 32, it follows that the action of the thermostat is will be responsive to the average temperature of the tank,

The adjustable lever [56, which is operatively associated with the bellows 56, by means of one end thereof, and v th intermediate lever at) by means of the other end thereof, is rotatably attached to frame it by means of shaft 361. In addition, intermediate lever 58 is also rotatably attached to the frame it by means oi shaft Link St is rotatably attached at its lower end, by means or a suitable rivet or screw to, to the in termediate lever to an end opposite to that in which the intermediate lever is rotatably mounted on the casing it. The link St is adjust= The expansion v ably attached at its upper end to the main arm- 7 part of the arm to.

62 by means of an adjustable marker 58. The adjustable marker 58 cooperates with an arcuate slot it located in the rear portion of main arm The main thermostat arm 62 is rotatably mounted on shaft 52 intermediate the rear arcuately slotted portion and the front or pointer portion which cooperates with casing is. It, therefore, follows that should the link 6!] and marker 65; be positioned at the front part of the arcuate slot it, or that part of the are adjacent or nearest to the shaft t2, the front or pointer portion of the arm 62 will move a greater distance for a given movement of the link til and operatively associated intermediate lever 58, than if the link (ill and marker t8 were to be located at the rear portion of the arcuate slot it. The relative movement of main arm with respect to main lever 58 may thus be readily adjusted. Accordingly, by marking a scale adjacent to the arcuate slot. iii, say, as in this instance, in degrees per hour, relative movements of the main arm 62 and the lever 58 may be adjusted to any'desired predetermined value, and therefore, the adjustable rate thermostat may be readily adjusted to a predetermined rate from, say, 5 per hour to 15 per hour, as hereinafter described. This ability to adjust the heating rate enables the control to maintain any desired average tank temperature for a given time in advance of the cutoff, as is clearly shown in Fig, 7 which illustrates the relation of the hours in advance of cutoff to the average tank temperature for a plurality of adjustable rates of heating.

The movements oi the bellows 56, which are responsive to the average temperature changes in tank 32 through action of bulb til, are trans mitted to the main lever Ed by means of adjust ing screwsl t and i6 and adjusting lever he, see Figs. 5 and 9. The adjusting screw it may be marked in degrees so that the adjustable rate thermostat it may be readily adjusted to any desired value by rotating such set screw to the desired setting.

In other words, as the tank is heated, the material in the bulb expands. This material is then forced through capillary tube 52 causing beilows o l to expand. Inasmuch as screw lG, associated with adjusting lever 5G, rests against the bellows 5 3, such screw l4- will be moved upward-= ly as the bellows expands. The upward move= ment of screw i l will cause adjusting lever 56 to rotate in a clockwise direction. This movement of lever will, through the action oi adjusting screw it, then force the lever 58 to rotate in a clockwise direction and link or to be moved downward. The temperature arm 62 will then be rotated in a clockwise direction and contact 22, attached thereto, will be moved away from stationary contact Accordingly, it is obvious that the temperature arm will be moved up wardly or in a clockwise direction with an increase in the average tank temperature.

The elapsed-time device 2llcomprises substantially an arm at and an involute cam The arm to is rotatably mounted upon shaft 712 and has a pin 8t located substantially in the central Inasmuch as thermostat arm 62 is also mounted on shaft [12, it follows that arms 62 and till are mounted coaxially. The involute cam 82 is rigidly attached to the driven shaft dd which is operatlvely associated with the time-oi-day mechanism t l through flexible coupling to, as hereinabove described. A resilient member as, see Figs. 2 and 6, rigidly attached to the casing l3 at one end and to the arm ill at the other end, biases the arm 80 towards the cam 82. However, the pin 84 limits the movement of the arm 80 and, due to the biasing action of resilient member 93, a positive contact therebetween will be maintained. Further, due to cooperative action of pin 84 and cam 82, the movements of arm 80 will be in direct response to the configuration of cam 82. His, therefore, apparent that the position of the arm 80 will depend upon the angular position of the involute cam 82 which, in turn, through its cooperation with the time-of-day mechanism [4, is a function of the time of day. However, it is apparent that the relative angular position of the involute cam 82 with respect to shaft 48 may be of any value desired.

The free ends of coaxially mounted thermostat arm 62 and time arm 88 extend through slotted apertures 81 and 85, respectively, in casing, l3 and function as pointers which indicate the relative position of the respective arms, see Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9. Similarly marked scales are positioned adjacent to the slots 86 and 81. However, the scale for the time arm 89' indicates hours in advance of cut-off or the termination of the offpeak period, whereas the scale for the thermostat arm 62 indicates the number of hours necessary.

to heat the water located in the tank up to the desired maximum temperature value. fore, follows that when the arms 62 and 80 are positioned at substantially the same point on their respective scales that the heater 20, located within the tank 32, should be connected to the power supply. This is true, as hereinafter described.

The contacts 22 and 24 are rigidly attached to thermostat arm 62 and time arm 80, respectively, by means of brackets 23 and 25, respectively, in any suitable manner and are mounted in line with each other so as to become engaged in response to the movements of the arms 62 and 80. I

The contact 22, rigidly attached to the arm 62 of adjustable-rate thermostat [8, see Figs. and 6, is located substantially in line with the contacts 24, rigidly attached to arm 80 of the elapsedtime device 20, and the stationary contact 26. However, the contacts 22, 24 and 28 remain separated, substantially the greater part of the day in accordance with the movementsof arms 62 and 80. More" specifically thermostat arm 62 is held upwardiy in direct relation to the water temperaw ture by the action of the expansive liquid located .in the bulb 50 acting upon bellows 54 and link 80,

and the time arm 80 is down, with a slow upward or clockwise movement in proportion to the passage of time.

As the water temperature decreases, the action of the bellows 54 permits the thermostat lever 62 to proceed downwardly or counter-clockwise and the contact 22 to be moved towards the contacts 24 and 26. The amount of movement of the contact 22 will depend upon the rate of drop in temperature of the fluid in contact with the bulb 50 and the position of the adjustable marker 68 within arcuate slots 10. Inasmuch as time arm 80 is rotated in a clockwise direction in resp mm to movements of cam 82, the contact 24, operatively associated therewith will likewise rotate in. a clockwise direction. In other words, the contact 24 is moved towards contact 22 on the thermostat arm 62 and away from stationary contact 26. The rate of travel of the contact 24 It, therewill then be directly proportional to the time of day, having a definite velocity in relation to the passage of time.

Inasmuch as contacts 22 and 24 move towards each other with a lowering tank temperature and the approach of the end of the oii-peak period, it is obvious that they will become engaged with the passage of a predetermined interval of time and a lowering of the average tank temperature. When they do become engaged, the thermostat lever 62 will reverse its direction of rotation primarily due to the increase in temperature of the water as the heater is connected to the power supply, and when properly calibrated will travel in unison with the time lever.

The arm 62 extends through the casing 13 and is closely related to a scale marked in hours in advance of cut-oil". The position of the arm 62 with respect to its scale thus indicates the number of hours necessary to heat the fluid located in the tank 32 up to the desired cut-oil temperature. It is, therefore, apparent that when the arm 80, which indicates the number of hours of time in advance of the cut-off, and the arm 62, which indicates the number of hours necessary to raise the tank 32 to its predetermined cut-oil? temperature, are positioned at the same values on their respective scales, such arms 62 and will be substantially in the same position, permitting their cooperating contacts 22 and 24 to become engaged, as hereinabove described. The engagement of contacts 22 and 24 then operates the relay I6, which connects the heating element 32 to the power supply 28, as shown in wiring diagram Fig. 3.

It is further obvious that the arms 80 and 62, after contacts 22 and 24 are engaged, will travel with substantially equal velocities up to the time o! cut-off, when the contact 24 located on arm 80 will, due to the cooperation of cam 82 and arm 80, suddenly become disengaged from contact 22 and become engaged with contact 26, which in turn, deenergizes the relay l8 and disconnects the heating element 30 from the power supply. The arm 80', operatively associated with involute cam 82, at this time, due to the shape of the cam 82, drops back to the position marked l2 on the scale adjacent aperture 86, while arm 62 remains in an upper position in response to the increased water temperature, whereupon contact 24 becomes disengaged from contact 22 and engaged with contact 26, ensuring a permanent contact between contacts 24 and 26, which deenergizes the heating element 30, as hereinabove described.

It is to be understood that inasmuch as relay k6 is of the self-holding type, the contacts 22 and 24 need not be continuously engaged during the heating cycle. The contacts 22 and 24 need only be momentarily engaged in the proper time and temperature relation to start the heating action at the beginning of the heating cycle.

As the invoiute cam 82 continues to rotate due to the action of the time-of-day mechanism I4, the main portion of the cam 82 will, at the end oi approximately 1-2 hours, again cause the arm 80 to be slowly moved upwardly, again indicating the number of hours before cut-off.

In some instances, it is advisable to limit the number of hours of operation of the heating element 30 or heating cycle irrespective of water temperature. This may be accomplished by 10-- eating an adiustably positioned pin 88 in line with the travel of temperature arm 62. The pin 88 may be rigidly attached to the casing l3 wlthin a vertically extending slot 89, see Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9. The pin 863 will prevent the downward travel of arm 62 and will likewise prevent the travel of contact 22. Accordingly, the contact 24, operatively associated with time arm 80, must move up to the contact 22 before the heating element 30 can be operatively associated with the power supply 28. The position of pin 88 thus determines the earliest time at which the heater can first be connected to the power supply, regardless of the water temperature. However, when the time controlled arm 86 moves upwardly and the contacts 2i and 22 become engaged, it is apparent that arm 9% will likewise be positioned at the same location oi. arm 62 and that the control device, through the action of pin 88 will permit the heating element .30 tobe operatively associated with the power device only this remaining predetermined adjustable length of time. the position of pin or stop 88 will control the start of the off-peak period and will control the point below which the temperature arm 62 cannot recede.

A fundamental relationship exists between the predetermined temperature at the fixed hour at which the. off-peak period terminates and the rate of heating of the fluid in degrees per hour, as is clearly shown in Fig. 7. The thermal control must be adjusted to conform to the tank heating rate, thereby establishing a critical temperature for each interval of time of the offpeak heating period. This critical temperature may be defined as that temperature which at a specific time interval in advance of cut-offwill permit the tank to reach its exact predetermined temperature and cut-ofl' time simultaneously. For example, if the tank is to be charged to a temperature of,. say, 170 at 6 a. m. and is equipped with a water heater which will heat at the rate of 10 per hour, then its critical temperatures at corresponding times are as l'ollows:

160 at'5 a. m. 150 at 4 a. m. 140 at a. m., etc.

Then with the control mechanism adjusted properly to function on this critical temperature, the control mechanism will connect the heating element with the power supply just soon enough to recuperate or have the tank. temperature at the predetermined value of Nil at cut-E, or in this instance, 6 a. m. This adjustment of the control is accomplished by the adjustable-rate thermostat it which may be set to correspond to the speed of heating of the particular tank with which the control mechanism i operatively associated and is indicated over the arbitrary 12- hour scale adjacent aperture 89 as degrees per hour, the degree per hour setting in this instance being chosen at between the limits oi per hour to 15 per hour, and is adjusted by the relative positioning of the link and arcuate aperture 19 within arm 92. v

In other words, with such chosen its and the scale being limited between 0 and lil hours, the scale marking will indicate degrees drop of water tank temperature of to ice. value is arrived at by multiplying the degree pe hour setting by the number of hours in advance of cut oil, as shown on the scale adjacent aper= ture 99, or the lowest value 5 per hour times 12, or 60, and 15 per hour times 12, or rod for the full 12-hour time. i

If then the thermostat I! with its 62 reg It is, therefore, apparent thatistering on the same scale is adjusted so that its top temperature at zero setting on the scale is the desired top temperature of the liquid in the tank and the rate or temperature response of the arm 62 throughout the scale corresponds to the heating rate of the tank, the temperature oi the thermostat is critical at the exact time corresponding to the time arm when the two arms are adjacent. In other words, at this point the two contacts 22 and M will engage and cause the relay ES to operate, connecting the heating element 30 to the power supply (see Figs, 3 and 4).

It is, therefore, obvious that my off-peak water heater thermostat performs a plurality of functions; namely, first, controls the earliest time at which the hot-water heater can turn on or be connected to the power supply, in this instance 11 p. m., or one hour later for each 16 the tank is hotter than the predetermined 100 at H p. m.; second, turns the water heater on at its critical temperature so that the heating of the tank will be completed simultaneously with the termination of the off-peak-period, in this instance 6 a. m.; third, disconnects the water heater at the end of the off-peak period.

A second period of water heating may be obtained' within the same 24-hour interval by the use of additional contacts 90, 92 and 94, and cams 9B and 98, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6. The cams 96 and 98 are rigidly attached to the driven shaft 48 and are of such configuration that they will cause the contacts 90, 92 and 94 to become operatively associated during, say, the early morning hours. The cam 98 first permits the contact 90 to engage contact 92, turning the water heater on or connecting the heating element 30 to the power supply 28 through contacts 24 and 26, as shown in Fig. 4, and preferably through a suitable thermostat (not shown) having the usual temperature-controlling function.

Then after the predetermined on period, cam d8 will permit contact 92 to engage contact 94 which, in turn, causes the relay l6 to disengage the heater 39 from the power supply.

It is to be understood that the second olT-peal: period may be timed at any hour during the day and that if desired, more than one of these ad ditional oil-peak periods may be utilized in con junction with the control mechanism. However, it is to he understood that it is preferred that the additional oil-peak control devices, such as cams and 98, function only during the time which. the main elapsed-time device an and arm to remain stationary or when contacts to and 28 are engaged.

If it is desired to have a second time-tempera ture cycle, as hereinabove described, a second involute cam 98, substantially the same in da sign as cam 92 (see Figs. 10 and 13), may he attached to driven shaft 48 in juxtaposition to earn 82 and in cooperation with pin 84 on time arm 83. This second involute cam 83 would be used in the afternoon or at such other time as may he desired, to have additional heat supplied to the tanl: and when it may not be desired to have the tank returned to its predetermined maximum. temperature value. However, it i to he understood that such second cam 83 may, if desired. he designed so as to return the tank to such maximum controlled temperature value.

The involute cam 83, see Fig. 13, has an m., volute portion which is substantially the same shape as the corresponding portion of cm 92. Portion a5 is shorter than the corresponding par,

tion of cam 82, as indicated by the dotted. lines. Accordingly, the distance between .the highest or end point and the center of rotation on the cam 83 is shorter than such distance to the highest point on cam 82. Itis, therefore, obvious that, with the cam 83 attached to the shaft 48 and with pin 84 resting upon such cam, the pin 84 and time arm 88 would not be raised as high by the second cam 83 as by the original cam 82.

It, therefore, follows that by limiting the upward movement of time arm 80 and permitting such arm to return to its original position, in which contact 24 is engaged with contact 26, at an earlier point than when cam 82 controls such engagement, the maximum operating temperature of the heater for the second heating cycle will be correspondingly lowered.

By having the mounting aperture 91 in the second cam 83 slotted, say, along a radius substantially intermediate the point of original engagement with the time arm 88 and the highest or dropping off point, as illustrated in Fig; 13, such cam may be adjustably attached to the shaft 48 so as to vary the time of travel of such arm. With such a mounting, it is apparent that the highest or dropping off point of cam 83 may be adjustably positioned with respect to the driving shaft 48 and the time arm 88 so that the highest point of travel thereof and the correspondingly controlled maximum temperature of the tank may be adjusted to a predetermined value.

This method of attaching the cam to the shaft 48 adjustablycontrols the length of time of operation of the second time-temperature cycle and permits it to send the tank temperature to a, predetermined value before being cut oil.

The first involute cam 82 may have an arcuate slot 89 cut therein to permit a set screw 9| to be positioned therethrough and to be attached to the second cam 83. This structure then permits the second cam 83 to be rotated with respect to the first cam and thus to vary the time of operation of the second time-temperature cycle with respect to the first. cycle. In other words, the second cam 83 may be adjusted to cut off any fixed number of hours following the first or standard cut-off. Suitable markings (not shown) may be placed u on cam 83 to permit ready adjustment thereof.

It is, therefore, obvious that, if desired, addiwill in no way affect the operations of the hereinabove-described time-temperature cycles.

It is, therefore, obvious that an off-peak water heating control device embodying my invention will not only control the time at which the water heater will be connected to the power supply during the main off-peak period, but may control the times at which the water heater may be operatively associated with the power supply at other times during the day, and may also permit the water heater to be connected to the power supply at. additional off-peak periods through the use of a second cam, or more than one additional cam.

Various further modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without de parting from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a heating system, a medium to be heated, means for heating said medium, means for delivering power to said heating means, a supporting structure, a heat-responsive device including a bellows operatively associated with said medium and responsive to the temperatureiluctuations thereof, a substantially constant-speed driving mechanism, a drive shaft associated therewith, an involute cam attached to said shaft, an arm rockably attached to said structure and moving in response to the movements of the cam only, a contact insulatedly attached to said arm, a second arm. rockably attached to the structure and moving in response to the movements of the bellows, a contact insulatedly attached to the second arm and in line with said first contact, and means dependent upon predetermined movements of said arms and engagement of said contacts for controlling the delivery of power to said heating means.

2. In a heating system, a medium to be heated, means for heating said medium, means for delivering power to said heating means, a heat responsive device operatively associated with said medium and responsive to the temperature tional time-temperature cycles of operation of be adiustably positioned upon such shaft so as to adjustably vary the length of and the maximum.

temperatures obtained during such cycles.

Additional contacts 2! and 29 may suitably be attached to the casing I 3 and operatively associated with the temperature arm 62 to function as a safety means for preventing the tank from overheating. The contacts 21 and 29 are in par allel with contacts 24 and 28 (see Fi s. 11 and 12). Thus as the temperature arm 82 reaches its upper point of travel, and the tank has reached the predetermined maximum temperature value. the temperature arm 82 engages contacts 21 and 29, forcing them into an engaged position. The relay'li will thus be operated so as to disconnect the heating element from the powersupply, even though the time arm 80 is still traveling upwards or has not reached its cut-off point.

It is to be understood that the use of contacts 21 and 28 is merely for'protective purposes and fluctuations thereof, a substantially constantspeed driving mechanism, a plurality of cams operatively associated therewith, a second device responsive to the operations of said heat-responsive device, a third device responsive to operation of the driving mechanism and said cams, and means responsive to predetermined mutually dependent operations of said devices for controlling the delivery of power to said heating means in response to the movements of said cams at predetermined selected time periods and in response to the number of such cams for rendering said heating means effective at the latest time preceding the end of such periods that will be effective to raise the temperature of the medium to a predetermined value at the end of the periods.

3. In a fluid-heating system, a heater, means for delivering power to said heater, a device responsive to the temperature of the fluid, an elapsed-time device, said devices rotating in a common direction with an increase in the fluid temperature and the passage of time about a common axis during a preselected period of the day, and means dependent upon predetermined mutual action of said devices for controlling said power delivering means for rendering said heatmg means efiectiveat the latest time preceding the end of such periods that will be effective to raise the temperature of the medium to a predetermined value at the end of said preselected period.

4. In a fluid-heating system, the combination with a container for the fluid, and controllable means for imparting heat to said fluid, oi iirst means responsive to elapsed time, second means responsive to the temperature of said fluid for periodically rendering said heat imparting means ineifective for a predetermined period at a preselected time of day, and said first and second means independently rotating about a common axis in opposite directions, with a decrease in temperature of the fluid and the passage of time, during a predetermined time preceding the coacting of said first and second means with each other for rendering said heat-imparting means effective, said coaction of the first and second means occurring at the latest time preceding said preselected time of day that will be effective to raise the temperature of the fluid to a predetermined value at said preselected time.

5. In an off-peak type heater effective for heating tap water for residences during a period of each day when the demands for electrical energy and its cost to the consumer are reduced, the combination of a container for the water,

means for heating the water in the container,,

means responsive to time for moving a control member starting at approximately the beginning of said reduced-cost period, means responsive to the temperature of the water to be heated for moving a second control member, said control members being adjacently mounted, and means rendered effective upon said control members occupying certain relative positions for energizing the heating means during the last portion of the reduced-cost period, the time of such energization increasing with increases in the requirements imposed upon the heater and vice versa.

6. In an off-peak type heater effective for heating tap water-tor residences during a period of each day when the demands for electrical energy and its cost to the consumer are reduced, the combination of a container for the'water, means for heating the water in the container, means responsive to time for moving a control member'starting at approximately the beginning of said reduced-cost period, means responsive to the temperature of the water to be heated for moving a second control member, said control members being coarrially mounted, and means rendered eflective upon said control members occupying positions opposite each other for energizing the heating means during the last portion or the reduced=cost period, the time of such energization increasing with increases in the requlrements imposed upon the heater and vice versa.

7. In an cit-peak type heater effective for heating tap water for residences during a period of each day when the demands for electrical energy and its cost to the consumer are reduced, the combination of a container'for the water, means for heating the water in the container, means responsive'to time for moving a control member starting at approximately the beginning of said reduced-cost period, means responsive to the temperature of the water to be heated for moving a second control member, said control members being rotatable in opposite directions with the passage of time and with a decrease in water temperature, respectively, and means rendered effective upon said. control members occupying positions opposite each other for energizing the heating means during the last portion of the reduced-cost period, the time of such energization increasing with increases in the requirements imposed upon the heater and vice versa.

8. In an off-peak type heater effective for heating. tap water for residences during a period of each day when the demands for electrical energy and its cost to the consumer are reduced,.

the combination of a container for the water, means for heating the water in the container, means responsive to time for moving a control member starting at approximatelythe beginning of said reduced-cost period, means responsive to the temperature of the water to be heated for moving a second control member, a scale cooperating with the time-responsive control member to indicate the length of time prior to the end of said reduced-cost period, a scale cooperating with the temperature-responsive control member to indicate the length of time necessary to heat the water in the container up to a predetermined value, and means rendered effective upon said control members reaching the same point on their respective scales for energizing the heating means during the last portion of the reduced cost period, the time of such energization increasing with increases in the requirements imposed upon the heater and vice versa.

EARL K. CLARK. 

